“She told me Eleanor was too energetic, that she was keeping you from seeing the truth about your marriage.”

I kept my hand on Ethan’s shoulder, pulling him slightly behind my skirt.

The boy was watching Vivian with wide, intelligent eyes.

He did not look afraid; he looked like he was cataloging every word.

“She told me it would only make Eleanor tired,” Vivian continued, her voice cracking.

“She said it would make Eleanor look weak and incompetent in front of the board.”

“She said you would divorce her, and then the path would be clear for one of us.”

“And you believed her?” Alexander asked.

His face was completely devoid of color.

“I wanted you, Alexander,” Vivian whispered.

“I wanted this estate.”

“But then Eleanor didn’t just get tired.”

“She started losing her hair.”

“She started forgetting things, and her heart began to fail.”

“I got scared,” Vivian said, her chest heaving.

“I told Celeste I wanted to stop.”

“But Celeste said it was too late.”

“She said if I stopped, she would tell you that I was the one who started it.”